Beautiful Photography by Platt College Student Andrew Serrano

When it comes to photography, Platt College Graphic Design student Andrew Serrano has a great eye for the world around us. We recently had the opportunity to talk with Andrew about his passion for photography and what inspires him. Whether it’s the lovely beach shore in La Jolla or the desert landscape of Death Valley, his photos are a visual treat that we hope you will enjoy as much as we do.

Interviewer: What first drew you to the world of photography and inspired you to pursue it?

Andrew: I never liked to take pictures before I saw my first nature time lapse video on YouTube from a professional landscape photographer. It was the first time I ever saw the milky way in such beauty. I never knew that cameras could show you how beautiful this world really is. It really inspired me to buy my first DSLR and give photography a try.

Interviewer: Have you been able to incorporate your love of photography into your studies in the Graphic Design program here at Platt? If so, how?

Andrew: Photography really helps me in graphic design a lot, because I can incorporate almost the same elements you learn in photography into your design. This really gives me a better understanding of composition, hierarchy, and color.

Interviewer: What do you think makes for a memorable photograph?

Andrew: I think what makes a memorable photograph is something you captured that makes you happy or excited to share with others. What’s amazing with photography is that you can catch a moment in a split second that will share a strong message to others.

Interviewer: What do you hope viewers take away from your work?

Andrew: I really hope that I can show the people who enjoy my work how beautiful Mother Nature is and that we need to start treating this Earth with a lot more respect than we do. Because this whole world is our home and we need to start taking care of it before we damage it beyond repair. That’s what I love about landscape photography because it gives me a chance to hopefully show the viewer true nature/beauty of this world, that a lot of people never get to see in their lifetime. There is so much to see in this world and I really hope that my work will influence people to take an extra step to go outside their comfort zone.

Interviewer: What were some of the difficulties you encountered when you were first learning photography?

Andrew: Almost everything when I first got my camera I was learning off YouTube. It was a difficult experience because there is so much to know when it comes to taking pictures. When I first started I never could expose right or get the right settings. Which made me start to doubt myself, but I just kept looking up more information and watching videos. From there I started slowly getting more comfortable with the camera. Even now each time I go out and take pictures I learn something new. I feel like it’s always good to keep an open mind about what you love to do, because there is always something to learn from someone or yourself.

Interviewer: Who are some of your favorite photographers and how do they influence you?

Andrew: Peter Lik, Marcus Handy, Lee Sie, Joey Skibel, Chris Huss, TSO Photography, Ansel Adams, there are so many more that inspire me. What I love about social media today is that I can friend and follow my favorite photographers and get inspired from how they approach their photographs. They really inspire me to go out as much as I can and keep doing what I love to do. I’ve also made a lot of friends who do this for a living who live local which really inspires me because they’re more than happy enough to sit down with you and share their experiences.

Interviewer: Out of all your photographs, if you had to pick a favorite, which one would you pick?

Andrew: I would have to pick “Milky Way Rainbow” it was my second time shooting the night sky in Death Valley, CA. I never saw so many stars in my life, which is amazing because I feel like there is much life up in the night sky as there is down here on Earth. I was really nervous taking that picture because I was only in Death Valley for two days and it was my first time taking a night sky panorama. But when I got home I was excited that it actually came out how I visualized it in my head.

Interviewer: What advice would you give other photographers just starting out?

Andrew: I would say never give up your passion for photography. Just like anything today there will always be a struggle and problems down the road. But that is what is amazing about today is that we have all the information we need in the palm of our hands. Everyone sees the world differently so never think that your work doesn’t meet the standards of someone else’s work. Instead of trying to keep up with their certain style or work flow, try to feed off their work through inspiration and turn it into your own style or work flow. Also I would say to try every subject of photography, because it’s always a good experience to take yourself out of your usual comfort zone. You’ll never find out what you love to take pictures of until you try it. Just like anything you enjoy doing; you should always have fun with it. Let photography be your time portal out of reality, when life gets too serious. Keep a positive mindset and it will definitely show through your photos.